Taking the first steps as a dog chef

I knew it was just a matter of time before I would start cooking for Hootie.  When he first came into my life late last May, the previous owners gave me some kibble that he'd been eating along with several cans of dog food.  He didn't seem to like either one, but I thought his rejection of the food may be part of the adjustment period to my home.  After all , he'd been one of seven dogs in his previous home, and his mother had just been killed.  I'd lose my appetite in those circumstances so I thought he might have done the same.

But time went on and he didn't like the offerings.  By the end of summer, the vet found Lyme disease in his blood sample, so I started giving him pills.  He rejected peanut butter on the first, second, and third tries.  Friends recommended that I hide the pills in little raw ground meat balls, which I did.  He practically inhaled those.  And that's when I started giving him people food.  For a few months, actually until just yesterday, I fed him cooked chicken, pork, beef, and fish, and he ate all of it.  I mixed the food with kibble so he wouldn't get foul breath, but he cleverly flicked out the kibble while eating the real food.

But I began to worry about a balanced diet.  About a week ago I made a delicious Peruvian chicken soup that had pieces of chicken along with rice, peas, and carrots.  When I put the chicken in his bowl, I added a few of the vegetables and he ate them.  Which got me to wondering how I could cook balanced meals for him.

And then I came across a recipe for doggie meatballs, which he scarfed down in nanoseconds.

They're unbelievably easy to make, and give a better mix of food than just plain ground beef.  Here's the recipe:
1 lb ground beef, chuck, or sirloin
3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 carrot, minced fine (I shredded mine)
1 c bread crumbs (I used Panko)
3 T tomato paste
2 eggs whisked

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix together all ingredients and form into small meatballs. 

Place on cookie sheet or its equivalent (I use Slipat on my half-sheets) and cook 15-20 minutes.

Store in plastic container and refrigerate.

I made the meatballs quite small but since Hootie is a small dog, I found I had to cut them in quarters for him to eat easily.

I ordered two "cooking for pets" cookbooks that should be here in the next day or two.  Stay tuned for more doggie suggestions.  Woof!

Meatloaf Donizetti

My beloved Havanese Hootie

I really don't think meatloaf and bel canto opera are a perfect match, but today they were.  My friends George and Alice and I had tickets to see Donizetti's "Don Pasquale" at the Beacon Theatre in Pittsfield, so I brought over slices of a fabu meatloaf for sandwiches.  I didn't have time to bake a loaf of the bread I'm making several times a week now, so I had to share my stash of Zingerman's Jewish rye bread with them for the sandwiches.  Luckily, they are very appreciative of good food so I got a full quota of compliments.

I don't remember what website listed this recipe, but whichever it is, thank you!  "It's a saucy meatloaf," said George, noting that good sauce is not what he typically thinks of when he thinks of meatloaf (which isn't often, I'd guess).  It was delicious as a sandwich, and just by itself.  The Zingerman's rye bread is a splendid match for it, but I'm guessing my delicious white bread would stand up to it, too.

I made the meatloaf last night, and found it kind of crumbly when I tasted it right out of the oven.  I refrigerated it overnight, which made it much easier to slice today.  I'm guessing it freezes beautifully. 

George started to put ketchup on his slice of meatloaf, but Alice stopped him, saying there was already a nice sauce glaze.  He listened to her, and after tasting, agreed.

The recipe calls for 1/2 cup roasted red peppers.  I used Ajvar roasted red pepper spread, which is otherwise very tasty with chevre.  The ingredients list on the label tells you that it includes not just roasted red peppers but roasted eggplant, salt, vinegar, safflower oil, and spices.  Try it.

So here's the recipe and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Delicious Meatloaf

3/4 c packed fresh, plain, torn bread pieces, crusts removed

1/3 c whole milk

4 t vegetable oil

2 medium celery ribs, finely chopped

2/3 c finely chopped yellow onion

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 (6-oz) can tomato paste (3/4 c)

1/2 c finely chopped roasted red peppers

1/3 c finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 large eggs, whisked until smooth

2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce

1 T salt

2 t dry mustard

1/2 t freshly ground pepper

3 lbs meatloaf mix (typically equal parts ground beef, ground veal, ground pork)

1/4 c ketchup

Heat oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Combine torn bread and milk in a small bowl; set aside. Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add celery, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook until no longer raw tasting, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside to cool slightly, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Add soaked bread, half of the roasted red peppers, parsley, eggs, Worcestershire, salt, mustard, and pepper to the vegetables and stir together until evenly combined. Add pork and turkey and using clean hands mix until combined (don’t squeeze or overwork).

Form meat into a loose loaf and transfer into a 9-by-5 1/4-by-2 3/4-inch metal loaf pan (don’t press down).

Mix together the remaining roasted red pepper and ketchup and brush it over the top. Place meatloaf in oven and bake until internal temperature is 150°F, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let sit about 15 to 20 minutes, before slicing.

 Yum!